Container and closure assembly



Dec. 31, 1968 L. AssALlT 3,419,195

CONTAINER AND CLOSURE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 10, 1966 A 00/5 HJfHL 1T United States Patent 6 Claims. ci.222-402.1

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides an aerosol container and valve closure assembly comprising a toroidal rim on the container, a concentrically nested multielement dished closure assembly having at its periphery a first frusto-conical surface, one outer edge of which is of lesser diameter than the diameter of the opening of the container and the other outer edge of which is of greater diameter than the opening of the container, thereby forming a first outer ramp converging toward the center of the container, and complementary shoulder and recess formations provided one on the periphery of the closure adjacent the edge of greater diameter of the first frusto-conical surface and the other on the toroidal rim of the container; and a central opening along the axis of said closure provided with a second inner frusto-conical surface forming a second inner ramp diverging toward the center of the container which engages a valve carrying body to be seated therein, and complementary shoulder and recess formations provided one on the inner frusto-conical closure surface and the other on the corresponding valve body surface, where by said closure may be fitted into said container opening by forcing said first frusto-conical surface past said rim, and said valve body may be fitted into said closure by forcing said body against said second frusto-conical surface, with resilient deformation of said closure in each instance, until a shoulder seats into a recess and is firmly retained therein by resilience of the deformed closure.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 491,736 filed Sept. 30, 1965, now US. Patent No. 3,348,742.

The purpose of the invention is to produce, preferably from synthetic materials, dishes and valve elements for aerosols, as well as receptacle sealing devices generally, and also to ensure the connection between all units capable of being assembled.

Its purpose is to produce a functional profile with the use of the compression elasticity of the material and also of its structural flexibility, in order to ensure an automatically hermetic self-clamping system, simply by forcing or clamping the units onto the rigid receiving profile of the containers.

It is characterized by the means employed, considered both in conjunction with and independently of one another, and more particularly by a conical or spherical covering surface having a conical peripheral profile forming a slide ramp, enabling the component in question to be forced into the required position, and a securing and sealing profile formed either by a toroidal groove or by a toroidal shoulder force-fitted into the receiving profile of the rigid receptacle of suitable profile or of the component to which it is to be aflixed by pressure, it being pointed out that this profile, by means of the forced fit or clamping action, provides an automatic clamping effect and automatic hermeticity, and will not become detached as a result of internal pressures, this result being obtained by the structural flexibility of the covering surface or spheroidal surface, of the conical slide profile and of the 3,419,195 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 ICC toroidal attachment profile, constituting a heel reinforced by its system of ribs, combined with the compression elasticity of the synthetic material of which the assembly consists.

The attached drawings, provided by way of an example, without any limitative effect, of one possible embodiment of the invention, are as follows:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams of the assembly profiles for the bases and covers.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a valve assembly for an aerosol flask, all the parts thereof being fixed and mounted in accordance with this method.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate various applications of the device.

The profile of the covering surface 1 and 2, in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a conical shoulder 3 and 4, provided either with a groove 5 or with a toroidal boss 6.

The shoulders 3 and 4, owing to their flexibility, enable the diameter to be reduced by the displacement shown by 3' and 4'.

The conical ramps 9 'or 9b enable the part to be forced into position, in the direction shown by the arrows A and B, by siding over the bosses 6 or 7 until 7 and 6 assume positions 7' and 6' respectively.

The forced sliding movement of the bosses 7 or 6 0m the cones 9 or 9b makes it possible, owing to the flexibility, as shown by 3' and 4', and owing to the compression elasticity of the material of which the assembly consists, to effect a temporary reduction in the diameter of the component forced into the internal diameter of the opening of the receiving component.

When it has been so forced into position, the part in question, owing to its elasticity and flexibility, resumes its original diameter, which action causes the profiles of the toroidal part of groove of the part in question to fit tightly into the complementary receiving profile of the toroidal part of the receptacle.

This forced fit ensures the keying action and the resulting automatic clamping and automatic hermeticity.

FIG. 3 is a section diagram of the general profile of a spheroidal covering surface with toroidal profile and groove.

As shown in FIG. 4, illustrating, in section, a valve of the aerosol flask, the conical covering surface 10, forming a dish with a collar 11, is fitted with an assembly device as shown in FIG. 1, its profile being as follows: toroidal groove 12, conical ramp 12, fitting over the rigid toroidal binding hoop 13 of the aerosol flask.

The valve clack 14 fits into the conical surface 10 and is secured by a forced clamping action, as shown at 15 and 16, while the supporting base of the plunger tube likewise fits onto the base of the clack by the same profiles 18 and 19. The assembly profiles are simplified but still comprise a conical ramp ensuring a forced fit and a toroidal attachment and sealing part forming a heel forced into the corresponding profile.

The bases and valves 20 and 21 in FIG. 5, the cover with an integral valve, 22, and the base 23 in FIG. 6, as well as the bases and cover 24 and 25 in FIG. 7, are used for the purpose of sealing the containers 26, 27, 28.

The advantages of this device will thus be evident.

These assemblies of elements constituting apparatus such as aerosol valves, bases or covers, are obtained by a simple clamping action, i.e. by a forced fit, thus eliminating the need for any of the setting or tubeexpanding operations, joints and other complex processes which have hitherto necessitated special apparatus and skilled labour.

The profile is self-positioning, i.e. when the sealing part is placed on the receiving container the centering action is automatic, however, uneven the profiles and however irregularly the respective elements are placed in position.

The instantaneous sealing effect, moreover, is automatically hermetic and stabilizes itself, so that the stronger the pressures exerted in the directions shown by the arrows C and D the greater the rigidity and hermeticity assumed by the assembly.

For manufacturing and fixing valves of aerosol flasks, the elements 10, 14, etc., and 18, in FIG. 4, are first of all assembled, again by clamping, after which the entire unit thus formed is clamped onto the neck 29 of the receptacle 26 in FIG. 5.

The valve shown in FIG. 4 can itself form an integral part of the cover 22 in FIG. 6, and it is then sufficient to clamp the assembly onto the container 27, of which the base 23 is placed in position in the same manner. The containers of all kinds, as shown in FIG. 7, for the presentation of any product, can be metallic, as 28, or synthetic, as 24 and 25, or made entirely of synthetic materials, with the same advantages. Acid substances can thus be contained therein without any risk. The same applies to inflammable, volatile or dangerous substances.

The covers and bases may likewise be metallic, the same applying to the profiles 3, 4, S and 6, and the containers may be made of synthetic material.

It is thus by the compression elasticity, combined with the structural flexibility, of the materials used for this assembly, and also by the functional shape of the conical slide profiles, and of the toroidal profiles ensuring the forced fit, that the invention is characterized.

The shapes, dimensions and arrangements of the various elements may nevertheless vary, within the limits allowed by equivalent apparatus, as may also the materials used for their manufacture, without thereby departing from the general principle of the invention described below.

I claim:

1. An aerosol container and valve closure assembly comprising a toroidal rim on the container, a concentrically nested multielement dished closure assembly having at its periphery a first frusto-conical surface, one outer edge of which is of lesser diameter than the diameter of the opening of the container and the other outer edge of which is of greater diameter than the opening of the container, thereby forming a first outer plug converging toward the center of the container, and complementary shoulder and recess formations provided one on the periphery of the closure adjacent the edge of greater diameter of the first frusto-conical surface and the other on the toroidal rim of the container; and a central opening along the axis of said closure provided with a second inner frusto-conical surface forming a second inner plug diverging toward the center of the container which engages a valve carrying body to be seated therein, and complementary shoulder and recess formations provided one on the inner frusto-conical closure surface and the other on the corresponding valve body surface, whereby said closure may be fitted into said container opening by forcing said first frusto-conical surface past said rim, and said valve body may be fitted into said closure by forcing said body against said second .frustoconical surface, with resilient deformation of said closure in each instance, until a shoulder seats into a recess and is firmly retained therein by resilience of the deformed closure.

2. A container and closure assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rim has a shoulder formation and the closure has a recess formation.

3. A container and closure assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rim has a recess formation and the closure has a shoulder formation.

4. A container and closure assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure is convex with respect to the container.

5. A- container and closure assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container and its rim are made of metal and wherein the closure is made wholly of synthetic resinous plastics material.

6. A container and closure assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container and its rim are of synthetic resinous plastics material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,891,704 6/1959 Morrison 222562 X 3,042,242 7/1962 Abt 2l54l 3,199,748 8/1965 Bross 222570 X 3,276,638 10/1966 Dawson et al. 222394 3,298,415 1/1967 Klygis 21541 X ROBERT E. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

N. L. STACK, JR., Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

